More attractive grads have better chances of getting hired?

[AddisonLawrence03]

online there's this study that claims more attractive/pretty people are more likely to get hired for jobs and are generally more well liked and treated better. does anyone believe this is true? anybody works in the hr department know of any sitautions where nurses got hired because they were pretty/had a symmetrical face?

[katieusa]

Even better, not long ago a nursing program in my area REQUIRED a photo of the nursing school applicant ! What really cracked me up was the "Race" section. It stated it was not required that you check any of the boxes..great, someone decides to not check any box..but the PICTURE would be a dead giveaway !

The school no longer has the photo of the applicant as a requirement for the things needed to send in for consideration.

One advertised position in our area required a photo with the resume and stated that if you wouldn't send a picture then do not send a resume. I thought that was very weird. However, being desperate, I sent it anyway. And since I am of average looks, I am not at all surprised that I was never contacted for an interview:o.

[MomRN0913]

Unfortunately I know it's true in some cases. For fact. They are still qualified, but yes, better looking. This is not me who has done this by the way......

[nursemike, ASN, RN]

I think this is definitely true to some degree...but more than beauty, I think it's a bit of how people present their selves over all...If you look clean, put together, like you respect yourself, and confident, it often comes across as attractive. Like if you look at movies with the standard "nerdy girl becomes gorgeous with a wardrobe change and taking off her glasses," what really changes is her outward presentation of self and self-image. She was the same person to begin with, but the care put into appearance can sometimes make world of difference with first impressions. I am NOT a person who blow-dries her hair and I hardly ever wear makeup and ironing is a dirty word in our house...but when I have an interview, you bet I'm blown out, eyelashes curled and wearing freshly pressed clothes.

On a related note...if I could JUST get an interview to make myself pretty for in the first place, it'd be a good start...

I've been seeing these reports for decades, but I've never been interested enough to check whether there have been numerous studies or one study long ago reported over and over in the news. Either way, I think most of us would think it was common sense that better looking people have an advantage, although I'm inclined to agree that the bias is often subconscious. On the other hand, there was a local supermarket I sometimes shopped at that had a high proportion of really cute cashiers, which I tend to doubt was all that accidental, and I've noticed that some restaurants like Outback or Texas Roadhouse (higher prices, bigger tips) tend to have better-looking servers than less expensive places like IHOP or Denny's.

As far as nursing, I tend to think it has a lot more to do with presentation than actual good looks. I read another report, once, of a study that patients tend to rate the skills of friendly, personable nurses higher than those of more distant ones, and I've seen that in practice. It isn't just potential employers who judge us on our looks. Patients do, too. But it seems like a pleasant demeanor can actually make you seem better looking. I'm a short, fat guy with thinning hair, but one of my patients was bragging about her tall, handsome nurse to a family member on the phone. I think it was mainly due to my caring attitude toward her. Well, that, and she was legally blind.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

I have recently noticed a few "need a pic of ya" ads as well as "you must come to our facility to deliver your resume in person" ads. You know they want to check you out and have some snotty little 20 yr old "glee girl" receptionist (somebody's daughter) taking your resume and keeping tally: Sue Smith (bad hair, bad shoes) Joe Johns (looks like a perv)...

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

I wonder if there's anything to do with identity theft, and being sure the same person who applied is the one who shows up

[chulada77, ADN, BSN, MSN, APRN]

I somewhat agree. People will never admit to it becuase it is a subconscious decision and not in the forefront of your mind, but it's there. I say "somewhat agree" because I believe that if you are well-dressed, walk and talk with confidence, and see everyone as your equal and not as your superior then this is attractive and will help you get hired. My hubby always says that once I get to the face to face interview its all over becuase I walk the walk and rarely leave an interview without a job in my pocket.

[caliotter3]

Several of my CNA buddies and I discussed this 'coincidence' one time reference who got CNA jobs at the acute care hospitals and who didn't. We suspected it to be true because everyone we could think of fit the description of better looking than the rest of the herd.

[AddisonLawrence03]

what does a person who is not attractive do to get ahead?? if people are hiring attractive people then how do you get a job if you are not attractive to most standards?

[stephie_love]

Stephie, your problem is that you are too hot. A person can be so hot that once they leave an interview, staff/management well, everybody is stunned to the point of PTSD. Just unable to remember what the hell happened during the interview. I have been known to have that affect on people. It's a very difficult thing to overcome. You can call them to remind them of your interview, and they just need ativan again. So sad, so sad.

HAHAHA!! You know I turn down Playboy like, every other week. Heck, why am I a nurse anyway???

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

I somewhat agree. People will never admit to it becuase it is a subconscious decision and not in the forefront of your mind, but it's there. I say "somewhat agree" because I believe that if you are well-dressed, walk and talk with confidence, and see everyone as your equal and not as your superior then this is attractive and will help you get hired. My hubby always says that once I get to the face to face interview its all over becuase I walk the walk and rarely leave an interview without a job in my pocket.

Unfortunately, I think some a**holes are completely thinking about the superficial aspects of people. There is a morbid sense of what constitutes true value for a lot of people.

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

what does a person who is not attractive do to get ahead?? if people are hiring attractive people then how do you get a job if you are not attractive to most standards?

Work hard and do your best- that's all anybody can do= the "good looking" people are eventually figured out, IF that's all they have going for them.... :)

[MTRN13]

Attractive does not = good nurse. Maybe it is the patients who feel better after having attractive nurses take care of them like some kind of placebo effect.